Coda
by Oriondruid
Summary: All lives come to an end, even those of heroes and heroines. This is how Katniss and Peeta enter their afterlife and the joyous reunion they find there. This is a follow up to my previous story To Banish Darkness, but can be read separately. This 'stand alone' one-shot may later be extended as and when I am able to do so.


**Coda**

By Oriondruid

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******Summary: **_All lives come to an end, even those of heroes and heroines. This is how Katniss and her Peeta enter their afterlife and the joyous reunion they find there. A follow up to my previous story To Banish Darkness, but it can be read separately. This may later be extended_**_._**

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******Disclaimer:**___As should be self evident from my site profile photo I am not Suzanne Collins. Therefore I hold no claim to these characters. They are all the brilliant work of the author herself and I thank her for the opportunity to 'play' in her world for a while. This work is intended to be entirely 'Not for profit'._

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___**It was the rehearsal night for the 'big event' tomorrow.**_

___**The City Circle was lit up as it never had been before, it glittered with thousands of flickering multicoloured lights, decorative displays surrounded by blazing false fire and huge public view screens all showing animated video of the familiar fiery 'mockingjay pin' image. **_

___**The exteriors of all the buildings in the main square had been newly painted and colourful welcome banners and flags hung from them in profusion. For tomorrow night **__**'they'**____** would be there and the party their huge number of friends and admirers were planning to throw was going to be massive, a Welcome Ball far bigger and more lavish than any that had been seen there for ages. For a great many the celebration had already started early and the evening streets of the Capitol already thronged with joyous, jostling crowds.**_

___**Above the city brightly painted hovercraft drifted silently, towing even larger welcome banners and sending out coloured beams of illumination onto the main square below. Together they all created a twinkling, jewel like glow as bright as day.**_

___**So many people had wanted to come that the the trains to the Capitol had been arriving packed full for days previously. Even the largest venue in the city would be bulging at the seams and tickets to get in were like gold dust. Indeed so popular was the event going to be that the giant screens had been erected everywhere, so that even those who couldn't get inside would be able to watch the event with friends and join in the celebration.**_

___**All that needed now was for the the guests of honour to arrive...**_

In Panem's District 12 that evening a very old couple went to bed, feeling utterly exhausted. They had neither of them been well that day and had not fancied supper, being happy to tumble into bed early instead. They had been together a great many years and their marriage had been a happy one. Not perfect or problem free of course, none ever is, but they had worked through their problems, their strong bond of love helping them fight through whatever clouded their lives together. Although, due to several issues, they'd started their family rather late but they'd had a pair of lovely children and through them they now also had four beautiful grandchildren. They themselves were now old enough to have started forming relationships of their own. All in all the couple were happy that they'd lived a good, productive and useful life together.

In the depths of the night the old woman awoke feeling something was wrong, and found her partner lying next to her, gasping to get his breath. She knew it had come at last, the moment that they had been dreading, the moment of separation and she held his hand as he slipped away from her, gently into death.

"Goodbye my love, I'll see you soon." She said, then kissed his lips and brushed her hand across his forehead tenderly.

She then rose and calmly started to carry out what they had planned together for this moment. She went to the bureau and took out the letters they had both written and placed them on the living room table. Then poured herself a tumbler of her favourite spirit and took a small sip, tasting it with pleasure. She continued to sip her drink with enjoyment as she then went over and looked at all the pictures on the wall, her hand gently brushing the images of the faces of her beloved family and old friends which the frames held, smiling as she did so.

Eventually, she returned to their bedroom, placed the half empty glass on the night stand on her side of the bed and opened the draw, taking out a small glass container holding a single purple capsule. She didn't hesitate as she took off the cap of the container, took out the capsule and swallowed it, washing it down with the remains of her drink.

Then, smiling happily, she lay down next to her husband's body and held his hand, as the nightlock did it's swift and painless work.

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Katniss awoke, somewhat confused but in a familiar place. It was, she knew, her old bedroom on the Capitol train. Nothing had changed in that room since she and Peeta had ridden the train together as mere children whilst en route, she'd then utterly believed, to die in The Hunger Games all those years earlier.

She swiftly realised there was a warm hand held in her own and looking to one side she saw that it was her beloved Peeta lying next to her and breathing gently in relaxed sleep. Desperately thinking back she tried to work out how she'd got here. Then it all came back to her.

They were both dead, she knew that for certain, so how could this be? How was she here now, alive and with a Peeta who looked no older than he had when they'd first been chosen as Tributes?

Katniss got out of bed without disturbing the still slumbering Peeta and walked over to sit before gilded mirror on the dresser. Looking in it she was shocked to see that she herself had also regressed to the way she'd looked when she was sixteen. She tried a smile and the face that looked back at her was that of the unlined, flawless young girl she had once been. She then noticed that all trace of the old battle scars and the aches and pains of her old age had also gone.

Joy flowed into her heart as she realised that this must be heaven, or at least something close enough to it for her liking, as she had her darling Peeta with her. She went back over to the bed and kissed him awake and told him where he was. Then both of them remembered the time, all those years earlier, when they returned together to the former 74th Hunger Games Arena after the war, in order to heal themselves of the terrible nightmares they'd both been having. They thought back on how, once there, they'd met the spirits of so many people in their old Arena, those of both friends and ex-enemies who had died there. Ever since that time neither Katniss nor Peeta had feared death, knowing it was not the end and now they were looking forward to once again being reunited with those they loved.

The couple made love and then, some undefinable and blissful time later, Katniss and Peeta heard a knock at their door and Peeta got out of bed, put on a bathrobe that was hanging on a hook by the bed and he went and opened the door.

Standing there he saw his old friend and mentor Haymitch Abernathy, beaming at him, but this was a Haymitch he had never known in life, appearing years younger and with all the damage from decades of sorrow, guilt and heavy drinking gone from his face. Haymitch had his arm wrapped around the waist of a beautiful young woman, whom at first Peeta didn't recognise.

Then the realisation came that this was Effie Trinket, their former Capitol Escort who had brought them to The Capitol when he and Katniss had been chosen as District 12's Tributes for The Hunger Games, or rather when he had been chosen and Katniss had volunteered, to save her sister Prim.

Peeta had not at first recognised Effie because she looked so different now, not just her age had changed, but she was not wearing the overly elaborate make-up and wigs which she once had and her dress, whilst stylish and colourful, was far less outrageous and 'over the top' than any he'd known her wear the previous times they'd been together on the train.

Their old friends both smiled broadly at the pair inside the room and Effie said in her familiar Capitol accent. "Welcome Katniss, welcome Peeta. We've both longed for this reunion since we had to leave you. It's been so long, but then again that's a good thing really as it meant you had such a wonderful long life together. Anyway, you're here now and the train will be arriving in our heavenly Capitol in about two hours. Effie then kissed Peeta and Haymitch took him into a massive bear hug, slapping him on the back.

Together the pair then entered the room and both sat on the bed beside Katniss, who by now was sat up and wrapped up in the bedclothes. They both kissed her too, hugging her tightly, then Effie said. "Best get out of bed now Katniss, Cinna and your Prep Team are waiting in the next car, which is set up with all their gear and a selection of clothes. We need to get you ready for your arrival. Everyone is so anxious to see you both and the station is going to be packed with people when we get there, you'll need to look your best. You too Peeta, give him a hand to get ready will you Haymitch? Cinna's got a nice suit and shirt for him to wear. It's all in that closet over there and he insists Peeta should look his most handsome if he's to be allowed to be seen in public with 'his' Girl On Fire. You know how possessive Cinna is about Katniss." Effie beamed.

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Katniss, still wearing only a bedsheet knowing that in any case she'd soon be naked with her Prep Team anyway left Peeta with Haymitch. She then went to the next car of the train where she found Cinna, her beloved Stylist from her Hunger Games awaiting, along with the others. They were all delighted to see her again and after many hugs and kisses all round they began to get down to the serious business of 'scrubbing her till she glowed' and making her fit to wear one of Cinna's latest creations for her Capitol arrival. Katniss relaxed and let them get on with their expert work, happy to be pampered by people who loved her.

Their arrival at the Capitol station was every bit as hectic as Effie had predicted and Katniss and Peeta were nearly mobbed by the adoring crowd. Eventually however they were able to emerge onto the streets of the heavenly Capitol and a large luxurious vehicle whisked all of them away to what was to be their accommodation for their stay, in a large penthouse suite atop a stylish housing complex, which stood on an equivalent spot to where the Training Centre had been located in Panem's Capitol. The building was very elegant and soared over the city, giving them exquisite views from their rooftop balcony of the heavenly Capitol and it's surrounding beautiful mountains and lakes, lit by a brightly shining moon.

They had an excellent meal, which they spent chatting happily with Haymitch, Effie, Cinna and the members of Katniss's Prep Team, who in combination all those years ago had made up the pair's Hunger Games support unit. Eventually it grew late and Katniss and Peeta were then allowed to rest, enjoy a peaceful night alone together and a chance to take in all that had happened to them.

The next night would however be busier, it was to be the night of their Welcome Ball and the whole of the Capitol was abuzz about what was going to happen. Katniss's beloved parents and sister Prim would be arriving by a special train the next morning, and they'd be seeing them then, along with Peeta's relatives and several lost friends and reconciled ex-foes with whom they'd share a private lunch. Katniss was particularly thrilled to think that as well as her beloved sister Prim and her parents she'd also be seeing her dearest friend Rue again. Although she'd always known that the 'angel' that Rue had become after she been killed had always been there throughout Katniss and Peeta's lives together, watching over and protecting the couple as she'd promised.

The next evening there would be a massive Welcome Ball, planned by Effie, 'helped' or to be more accurate hindered by Haymitch. Also their friend, the much reformed former 'Career Tribute' Glimmer, being a 'party animal', had volunteered to design the venue's decorations. She was a much better and more successful party planner than she'd ever been a killer. Of course Cinna was also very much involved, as he had styled the ball gowns that would be worn by many of the prominent ladies to be in attendance, including of course a magnificent and innovative one for Katniss herself. This was to be another, but even more impressive, version of her 'Girl On Fire' theme. The Ball was going to be the final culmination of Katniss and Peeta's old lives and the beginning of a whole new future together. What exactly that future would hold neither yet knew, but they did know they'd be together and were both looking forward to it with bright optimism.

Finally alone in their bed on that first night in their 'heaven' Katniss and Peeta talked lovingly together and looked back on all that had happened throughout their lives. They concluded that, despite all the many tragedies and hardships they'd suffered, there wasn't a single thing they'd change, even if they could.

All was well.

**Authors note:** _This story is something of an epilogue to my recent one entitled To Banish Darkness, in which I mentioned that Peeta and Katniss would be going to a massive Welcome Ball in the 'heavenly' Capitol after they died. I thought I'd post this now as it stands well enough alone as a 'one shot', but if you'd like more I may well write about the fabulous party itself that Cinna, Effie, Glimmer and others have planned to welcome Peeta and Katniss into their 'afterlife'. Please let me know if I should, Many Blessings All._


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